Soldier training militants nabbed in Rivers

Men of 2 brigade garrison of the Nigerian army in Port Harcourt have arrested a soldier, who allegedly trains suspected Niger Delta militants.

The officers also uncovered arms and ammunition in Kula community in Akuku-Toru local government area of the state.

Timothy Opurum, commanding officer of the brigade, disclosed this to NAN on Tuesday.

Opurum said the soldier, a member of 13-man -militant gang alleged to have been terrorising many communities in Rivers, deserted the army in 2002.

“Based on intelligence reports, we carried out a sting operation where we captured 13 members militant gang including their notorious kingpin leader, simply known as Kenneth,” he said.

“We also arrested a soldier, who deserted the army in 2002 and specialised in training of militants in weapons handling and operational tactics.

“The soldier (names withheld), who is a private, joined the army in 1998 and served in 331 artillery regiment Kalapanzi barracks in Kaduna before he was declared missing in 2002.

“The soldier, who is related to the kingpin of the militant group, is still in our custody and will be released to prosecuting agencies after formal dismissal from the army.”

Opurum said his troops raided the community on account of incessant cases of militancy, kidnapping, piracy, cultism and killings which occurred regularly in the area.

The commanding officer said intelligence revealed that the community was not only serving as hideout for criminals but hoodlums were also storing caches of arms and ammunition in the area.

“However, some of the arms and ammunition had already been moved by the militants before our troops arrived at the community,” he said.

“Twelve suspects excluding the deserter-soldier, the arms and ammunitions had been handed over to the state Directorate of Security Services (DSS) for further investigation and prosecution.”

Opurum, who led the operation, however, denied allegation that troops opened fire on innocent fishermen and traders, and destroyed their wares during the operation.

“It is highly untrue that soldiers assaulted innocent civilians during the operation to mop up arms and criminality in Kula community,” he said.

“There was no case or cases of manhandling both on the part of civilians and on the suspects who were arrested over their involvement in gun running activities.”

According to NAN, Hope Opusingi, ruler of the community, alleged that soldiers battered his people and destroyed property worth millions of naira during the raid.

Opusingi claimed that soldiers invaded his community “under the guise of carrying out a presidential directive against oil theft and attacked harmless elders and innocent fishing settlements.”

The monarch said the action of the army was an abuse of power and a gross violation of the right of his people.